Kerr flew into the quarter-finals. An unexpected charge for the world title continues. Shooting off the lip of perfectly suited right-handers, Kerr was acrobatic enough to get a gig with the Moscow circus.

He made landings that should have been impossible. Slater produced a superb aerial too, racking up a 9.27, but it was nowhere near superb enough.

The 10-times world champion was relegated to a sudden-death shoot-out in round five against Frenchman Jeremy Flores, which he won to earn a quarter-final berth tomorrow against Kerr.

"To me, Josh Kerr is the most dangerous guy in the draw," Slater said.

"He's one of the best aerial guys in the world, if not the best. I started with a nine but knew I wasn't safe. Credit to him, great heat."

Mick Fanning's world title hopes suffered a serious blow when American Fred Pattachia beat him by seven-hundredths of a point in round three.

Ditto for Joel Parkinson, who went down in round five to Brazil's Heitor Alvez. The Australian quartet of Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Owen Wright and Julian Wilson reached the quarter-finals.